Automobile signal lamp



Sept. 10, 1929. G, P, OHLGART 1,728,005

AUTOMOB ILE S I GNAL LAMP Filed Aug. 6, 1927 HTTURJE.

-30 in a,

Patented Sept. 10,1929.

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE I. OHLGART, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL LAMP.

Application filed August 6, 1927. Serial No. 211,066.

This invention relates to improvements in lamps for automobiles andhas for its object to provide an improved arrangement of lamps and supporting means together with a novel form of circuits for the same.

The structure embodying the invention as illustrated in the drawing is es ecially shown as a parking lamp although t e same may readily be utilized in a tail-lamp.

he object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement of lamps and circuits for parking or tail lights on automobiles whereby the burning out-of one lamp Wlll automatically form a circuit through a secend lam in the same lamp housing so that li ht will be supplied by said second lamp w en the other lam breaks or burns out.

The invention is il ustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein,-

Fig. 1 shows a portion of an automobile including part of a rear wheel and mud= guard with the lamp in place thereon.

Fig. 2 illustrates the lamp in sectional elevation.

Fig. 3 shows the bottom of the lamp structure with the circuit connection there= to, and

Fig. 4 illustrates the lamps, the electromagnetic switch elements and the circuits urely dia ammatic manner.

Re erring to t e drawing, the numeral 5 desi ates the housing of the lamp which, in this instance, has a substantially rectangular base 6 entirely open at the bottom and having a hollow barrel or head 7 extending horizontally across the rectangular base but with the space within the head and base in communication.

Each end of the hollow barrel-head is provided with a lens,that one which is designated 8 in the drawing being at the front end while that which is designated 9 being at the rear.

In practice, it is customary to provide a white front lens 8 while the rear lens 9 is usually of red glass so that a white light Will be displayed forward while a red light will be shown at the rear.

In the base of the housing 6 I provide a case 10, having a lining of fiber or insulat- 5 ing material 11 and this lining has a central opening or chamber 12 in which there are two small electro-magnets 13 and 14 respectively. These electro-magnets have, in this instance, a position in the case so that their cores 15 and 16 extend horizontally.

ln the case I mount a spring armatureplate 17, which latter extends in a direction so as to cross the ends of the two cores 15 and 16 of the magnets and in such proximity thereto as to be attracted by the magnets when the latter are energized, but to spring away from the said cores when the ma nets are deenergized.

X contact 18 is also provided in the case so that whensaid armature-plate 17 is released by the electro-magnets and springs away therefrom said plate will engage said contact 18. On top of the case 10 I mount two lamp sockets l9 and 20 and in the socket 19, ll provide a lamp 21, while in the socket 20 there is a lamp 22. These two lamps are of unequal voltage in that the lamp 21 is of a 3-4 voltage while the lamp 22 is of a 6-8 voltage.

The circuit involved is a single wire, circuit with a return through ground and by reference to Fig. 3, the circuit connections will be explained.

The battery is designated 23 while the 80 switch is shown at 24. From the battery, there is a wire 25 leadmg to the switch 24'and from the switch there are wires 26 and 29 which lead tothe electro-magnet 14.

Another wire 28 connects the electro-magnets 14 and 13 and a wire 27 extends from electro-magnet 13 to the center contact of the lamp-socket 19.

A wire 31 connects the two lamp-sockets 19 and and a Wire forms a flround connection from the lamp-socket 20 back to the battery.

A branch wire 33 leads from wire 29 and connects with one end of the armature-plate 17, while a wire 32, connects the stationary contact 18 with the center contact of lampsocket 20.

the electro-magnets 14 13 thus energizing the latter and holding the armature-plate 1'? against the cores 16-15 of the magnets, then the circuit is continued by wire 27 to the center Contact of lamp-socket 19 and through low voltage lamp 21; then from lamp-socket 19 to lamp-socket 20, and return by ground or Wire 30 to the battery.

It will thus be seen that this normal circuit includes the low voltage lamp 21 and both electi e-magnets and that as those magvent the closing of e other lump 22,

As both lamps 21 and 22 are located in the barrel or heed '5' between the front and rear lenses 8 end 9 and both of those lamps are of clear glass, the illumination of either of them will project light beams both ahead and to the rear and the presence of one lamp, which is not illuminated but is of clear glass, between the illuminated lamp and one of the lenses will not blanket or cast 11 shadow on that lens.

in case the lump 21 should burn out or become broken, the normal circuit, just d scribed, will be interrupted whereupon the electro-magnets will become deenergized and the armature-plate 17 will then spring away from the cores 15-16 of the magnets and will ch nge the contact 18a Immediately upon engagement of armsture-plete 17 with the contact 18, e substitute circuit will be formed through the hivh or voltage lamp 22, the circuit then being as follows: 7

From battery 23, wire 25, switch 24- and wires 26 and 33 to the fixed end of the ermntore-plate 17; then through said plate, (which at this time will engage the contact 18) to the said contact 18; then by wire 32 to the center lamp-contact of lamp-socket 20 and through the lamp 22; then return from lamp-socket 20 by ground or Wire-2'30 to battery,

' This substitute circuit does not include the circuit through the .electro-magnete and consequently e. lump nets are energized, the srmetureplate 17 will. be held back away from contact 18 and prcwas es of higher voltzige is utilized in this circuit.

It will thus be seen that I arrange the two lamps in the case or barrel between two lenses,one of the lamps being of a lesser voltage than the other and the circuit through the lamp of lesser voltage including electro-magnets which cut ed the cur rent to the lamp oi the higher voltage.

In this manner, 1 provide two lumps in the one barrel, and the burning out or bread:- ing of one of those lamps will automatically close a circuit through the other lamp and illuminate the letter so that the signal will be maintained even though the normal cir cuit through the one lamp becomes inter rooted.

1 loving described my invention, I claim-- 1. In an automobile signal lamp the (10211:

binetion with u lamp-housing having two spaced lens-openings and a hollow base below said two lens-openings, of detachable case in the housing-base seid cnse carrying two lamp-sockets on the upper side thereof which sockets are electrically, connected, an electro-mugnet means enclosed. in said detachable case, an armature also said detscheble case which is held in one position by said electro-magnet means when the lat ter is energized, a stationery contest also in the cuss which contact is to be engaged by the armature only when the electro-meg et roe-ens is deenergized, a separate lamp i each of said two lump-sockets said two lumps being positioned in the lamp-housing; between the two leinp openings and one or said lumps having it center contact in stunt connection with the sold stationery contact, electric circuit connections includ ing one of said lamps, the electro-mcgnet means both lamp sockets and ground, and nnother set of electric circuit connections formed when the electro-rnegnet means is deenergized, including "the armature, the tionery contest, the center contact of other lamp end its socket and a connection to the ground the said case and the electricsl elements therein being removable as e unit from the base of the lump-housing 2 an eutomobile signal lamp the cornhination with s lamp-housing having two spaced lensopenings and o hollow base be low said two openings, of a detachable case in said housing-base said case carrying two lamp sockets on the upper side thereof which sockets are electrically connected, on electro-magnet tacheble case, a stationary contact in said detachable case, an armature also in said case which armature, when the eleetro'-magnot means is energized, is held out of engagement with said contact, a lump of one voltage in one of said two lump-sockets, onother lamp of a lower voltage in the other of said lamp-sockets, normal circuit connectlons from a single current-supply in- Leo means enclosed in sold declnding'the Ian 1p of voltage, the electro-ma et means both sockets and a groun and another set delectric cimuit connections from the some current supply '5 and formed when the electro-matfnet means is deenergized includin the sad armature;

' the stationary contact, t 0 center contact 0 the lamp of greater voltage and its socket and the und.

In testlmony whereof I aflix my signslure.

GEORGE P. OHIQGART. 

